BY AGE · SPEND, SAVE, GIVE · PRINTABLE CHART
Allowance calculator: how much allowance by age
How much allowance by age? Add your kids to see weekly and monthly amounts, a spend, save and give split, and print an allowance or chore chart. Free.
Maya and Leo: $19 a week
$1 per year of age · paid weekly on Saturday
- Maya, 8$8 a week
$34.67 a month · $416 a year
- Spend $4
- Save $3.20
- Give $0.80
US parents' median for ages 5 to 8: $15 a week
- Leo, 11$11 a week
$47.67 a month · $572 a year
- Spend $5.50
- Save $4.40
- Give $1.10
US parents' median for ages 9 to 11: $20 a week
Family total: $19 a week · $82.34 a month · $988 a year
Your printable chart for Maya
The short answer
A common rule of thumb is $1 a week for each year of age: $8 a week for an 8-year-old, about $35 a month. Families pay a wide range, though. In a 2025 Wells Fargo survey of 1,587 US parents, the median was $15 a week for ages 5 to 8 and $25 for ages 15 to 17. Decide first what the money has to cover.
How much allowance by age?
The table shows the $1-per-year-of-age rule next to what families actually pay. The survey column is the median weekly allowance US parents reported in a 2025 Wells Fargo survey, by age group; the app column is the average weekly allowance by age that Greenlight reported for kids and teens using its app in 2025.
| Age | $1 per year: weekly | Monthly | Survey median (ages) | App users' average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | $4 | $17.33 | — | — |
| 5 | $5 | $21.67 | $15 (5–8) | $6.18 |
| 6 | $6 | $26 | $15 (5–8) | $6.44 |
| 7 | $7 | $30.33 | $15 (5–8) | $6.79 |
| 8 | $8 | $34.67 | $15 (5–8) | $7.22 |
| 9 | $9 | $39 | $20 (9–11) | $7.86 |
| 10 | $10 | $43.33 | $20 (9–11) | $8.53 |
| 11 | $11 | $47.67 | $20 (9–11) | $9.35 |
| 12 | $12 | $52 | $20 (12–14) | $10.37 |
| 13 | $13 | $56.33 | $20 (12–14) | $11.59 |
| 14 | $14 | $60.67 | $20 (12–14) | $13.13 |
| 15 | $15 | $65 | $25 (15–17) | $15.26 |
| 16 | $16 | $69.33 | $25 (15–17) | $17.89 |
| 17 | $17 | $73.67 | $25 (15–17) | $21.47 |
The survey averages are much higher than the medians ($31.50 a week for ages 5 to 8, $44.88 for 15 to 17) because a few large allowances pull the average up. The median, what the family in the middle pays, is the better guide.
How to use the allowance calculator
- Add each child and their age. The calculator applies your rule to every child at once, so siblings are treated the same way.
- Pick the rule. 50¢, $1, $1.50 or $2 a week for each year of age. Type your own weekly amount next to a child if you already know it.
- Choose how often you pay. Weekly suits younger kids; every two weeks or monthly helps teens practice budgeting. Monthly is the weekly amount times 52 weeks, divided by 12.
- Split it into jars. Spend, save and give amounts are worked out to the cent and printed on the chart.
- Print the chart. Pick a child, choose allowance plus chores or chores for pay, edit the chores, then print one page or save it as an image.
What should the allowance cover?
Decide this before the amount. An allowance that has to cover school lunches or clothes needs to be bigger than one for treats. Start small and add a new expense, with the money for it, as your child shows they can handle it.
| Age | What it often covers | Money skill to practice |
|---|---|---|
| 3 to 5 | Small treats and stickers; the point is counting coins and waiting | Money buys things, and you may have to wait for what you want |
| 6 to 8 | Toys, snacks and small gifts | Saving up for something that costs more than one week's money |
| 9 to 12 | Snacks out, games, books and gifts for friends | Comparing prices and planning a few weeks ahead |
| 13 to 15 | Outings with friends, some clothes and phone apps | Budgeting for a month and a first bank account |
| 16 to 18 | Clothes, gas or transit and fun money | Paying regular costs on time and saving from earnings |
Allowance for chores, or not?
There are two common ways to run it, and the chart prints either one:
- Allowance + chores. The allowance is a set amount for learning to manage money, and chores are part of living in the family. The chart lists the chores to tick and a log of each payday.
- Chores for pay. Each chore earns a set amount every time it is done. The calculator suggests a price per chore so a full week comes close to the weekly amount, and you can change any price.
Many families mix the two: a small base allowance, plus paid extra jobs such as washing the car. Whatever you choose, pay on the same day every time and do not advance next week's money; waiting is part of the lesson.
Age-appropriate chores for the chart
The chart starts with six chores that fit your child's age. Change or add any of them.
| Age | Chores to start with |
|---|---|
| 3 to 5 | Put toys away, Put clothes in the hamper, Feed the pet, Help set the table, Water the plants, Make the bed with help |
| 6 to 8 | Make the bed, Set and clear the table, Put away clean laundry, Feed the pet, Tidy the bedroom, Help unload the dishwasher |
| 9 to 12 | Load or unload the dishwasher, Take out trash and recycling, Vacuum one room, Fold and put away laundry, Pack school lunch, Help cook dinner |
| 13 to 18 | Do own laundry, Cook one family dinner, Clean the bathroom, Mow the lawn or rake leaves, Wash the dishes, Do a grocery run with a list |
Spend, save and give jars
Splitting each payday into jars makes saving visible. A common split is half to spend, 40% to save and 10% to give; equal thirds or 70/30 without a giving jar work too. Use clear jars or envelopes for young kids so they can watch the savings grow, and write down what they are saving for on the chart. The savings challenge works for teens saving toward something bigger.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's Money as You Grow pages describe the money habits to build at each age, from waiting for what you want to comparing prices and planning ahead (CFPB). For a home routine that goes with the money, try the printable chore chart or reward chart.
Frequently asked questions
How much allowance should a 10-year-old get?
About $10 a week by the $1-per-year rule, or around $43 a month. In the 2025 Wells Fargo survey, the median for ages 9 to 11 was $20 a week, and kids using the Greenlight app averaged $8.53 at age 10. Less is fine if the money only covers treats; more makes sense if it covers lunches or clothes.
What is the $1 per year of age rule?
It is a popular way to set an allowance: a 6-year-old gets $6 a week, a 12-year-old $12. It is not an official standard, just an easy rule that grows with your child and treats siblings the same way. Use 50 cents or $2 a year if that fits your budget and what the allowance covers.
Should allowance be tied to chores?
Both ways work. Some families pay a set allowance to teach money skills and expect chores as part of family life; others pay per chore so kids learn that work earns money. Many mix the two: a small base allowance plus paid extra jobs. The chart prints either version.
Should I pay allowance weekly or monthly?
Weekly suits younger children, who need to see money come in often. From about 12 or 13, every two weeks or monthly gives practice at budgeting over a longer stretch. A monthly amount is the weekly amount times 52, divided by 12, so $10 a week is about $43.33 a month.
How should kids split their allowance?
A common split is spend, save and give, for example 50%, 40% and 10%. Use three clear jars or envelopes so younger kids can see the savings grow. The calculator works out each jar to the cent and prints the amounts on the chart.
At what age should kids start getting an allowance?
Many families start between 4 and 6, when children can count coins and understand that money buys things. Start small and add responsibilities, and the money for them, as your child shows they can handle it.
Is my information saved or sent anywhere?
No. Names, ages, amounts and chores stay in this browser on this device. There is no sign-up, and nothing you type is sent to our server.
Sources and evidence
- Wells Fargo (2025): Parents give their kids an average weekly allowance of $37 — An Ipsos survey of 1,587 US parents (April 28 to May 8, 2025): 71% of parents of children aged 5 to 17 give an allowance, on average $37 a week.
- USA TODAY (2025): What's the going rate for kids' allowances? — Reports the Wells Fargo survey by age: median $15 a week at ages 5 to 8, $20 at 9 to 11 and 12 to 14, $25 at 15 to 17 (averages $31.50, $34.32, $36.05 and $44.88); overall median $20.
- Greenlight (2026): Average weekly allowance by age for Greenlight kids and teens — Average weekly allowance of kids and teens using the Greenlight app in 2025, by age: $6.18 at 5, $8.53 at 10, $15.26 at 15 and $21.47 at 17.
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: Money as You Grow — Age-by-age money milestones for parents; for ages 6 to 12, children can earn money through an allowance or family jobs, start a saving habit and learn to make choices about spending.